1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to receptacles of the type used to hold plants, and the like, and, more particularly, to a receptacle that is supportable in an elevated position by a bracket assembly.
2. Background Art
Many different types of receptacle are currently being offered for supporting objects, such as plants, in an elevated position upon an upright structure. It is common to support such receptacles from deck rails, and the like, having an upwardly facing support surface that bears on a bracket assembly projecting from the receptacle.
One exemplary bracket assembly is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,390,443. In this patent, a receptacle is shown with a fixed wire bracket assembly which defines an inverted U shape to straddle an upright support. This design has achieved considerable success commercially.
However, one drawback with this design is that it is dimensioned to be optimally engaged by a particular width of support surface. For example, the bracket assembly may be designed for a nominal four inch width lumber commonly used to define a deck railing. The bracket assembly would have a different design for a wider piece of lumber. As a result, purveyors of this type of receptacle would be required to design, have manufactured, and make available, multiple different designs. The need for multiple designs may increase manufacturing costs. Inventory control requires that the purveyor attempt to anticipate the demand for particular designs. Multiple designs would be inventoried and displayed, often in quantities inconsistent with their particular demand.
To obviate this problem, the inventor herein designed an adjustable bracket system, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5.711,502. Through the various bracket assemblies shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,711,502, the effective bracket width can be varied. Accordingly, a universal xe2x80x9ckitxe2x80x9d can be sold to accommodate different widths of hanging support surfaces.
In one form, the invention is directed to an article hanger with a frame defining a receptacle for an article and a bracket assembly on the frame through which the article hanger is maintainable in a hanging position on an upwardly facing surface on a support. The bracket assembly includes a first bracket element on the frame and a second bracket element that is joinable to the first bracket element so that at least one of the first and second bracket elements defines a downwardly facing surface that is abuttable to an upwardly facing surface on the support, with the article hanger in the hanging position. The second bracket element has a depending portion which defines an edge which faces the receptacle and is spaced from the receptacle a distance. There is an opening in at least one of the first and second bracket elements and a fastener which is extendable through the opening to maintain the first and second bracket elements in joined relationship. The first and second bracket elements are configured to allow the distance between the edge on the depending portion and the receptacle to be varied.
The first bracket element may be fixedly attached to the frame.
The first bracket element may project in cantilever fashion from the frame.
In one form, the opening in at least one of the first and second bracket elements includes a first opening in the first bracket element and a second opening in the second bracket element. The first and second openings are registrable to allow the fastener to extend through each of the first and second openings with the first and second bracket elements in joined relationship.
The first and second openings are registrable with the edge on the depending portion spaced from the receptacle first and second distances.
In one form, at least one of the first and second openings is an elongate slot.
The opening in at least one of the first and second bracket elements may include a third opening in one of the first and second bracket elements that is registrable with one of the first and second openings to allow the fastener to be extended through the third opening and the one of the first and second openings.
In one form, the second bracket element has an L shape with first and second transverse legs each having a length. The lengths of the first and second legs are different. The first and second legs are selectively joinable to the first bracket element so that a) with the first leg joined to the first bracket element the second leg defines the edge which faces the receptacle and is spaced from the receptacle a first distance and b) with the second leg joined to the first bracket element the first leg defines the edge which faces the receptacle and is spaced from the receptacle a second distance that is different than the first distance.
The fastener may be separate from the first and second bracket elements or fixedly attached to one of the first and second bracket elements.
In one form, one of the first and second bracket elements has first and second transverse surfaces thereon separate from the fastener that bear against the other of the first and second bracket elements to allow guided movement of the first and second bracket elements, each against the other.
In one form, one of the first and second bracket elements has a first surface and second and third facing surfaces and the other of the first and second bracket elements is guidable simultaneously against the first, second, and third surfaces between a) a first relative position wherein the edge on the depending portion of the second bracket element is spaced from the receptacle a first distance and b) a second relative position wherein the edge on the depending portion of the second bracket element is spaced from the receptacle a second distance.
In one form, there is a fourth surface on the one of the first and second bracket elements that faces the first surface and, in conjunction with the first surface, captively maintains the other of the first and second bracket element.
The invention is also directed to the combination of an article hanger having a frame defining a receptacle for an article, and a bracket assembly on the frame through which the article hanger is maintainable in a hanging position on an upwardly facing surface on a support. The bracket assembly includes a first bracket element on the frame and second and third bracket elements. The second bracket element is joinable to the first bracket element so that at least one of the first and second bracket elements defines a downwardly facing surface that is abuttable to an upwardly facing surface on a support with the article hanger in a hanging position. The second bracket element has a depending portion which defines an edge which faces the receptacle and is spaced from the receptacle a first distance. There is an opening in at least one of the first and second bracket elements. The third bracket element is joinable to the first bracket element in place of the second bracket element so that at least one of the first and third bracket elements defines a downwardly facing surface that is abuttable to an upwardly facing surface on a support with the article hanger in the hanging position. The third bracket element has a depending portion which defines an edge which faces the receptacle and is spaced from the receptacle a second distance. There is an opening in at least one of the first and third bracket elements. A fastener is extendable through a) the opening in at least one of the first and second bracket elements or b) the opening in at least one of the first and third bracket elements to maintain either the first and second bracket elements or the first and third bracket elements in joined relationship.
In one form, the first distance is different than the second distance.
In one form, the first bracket element is L-shaped with first and second transverse legs.
In one form, the opening in at least one of the first and second bracket elements is a first opening in the first bracket element, a second opening in the first leg of the first bracket element, and a third opening in the second leg of the first bracket element.
At least one of the first, second, and third openings may be an elongate slot.
The first bracket element may be fixedly attached to the frame.
The first bracket element may project in cantilever fashion from the frame.